Church

This week I’m concentrating on the second in a series on prayer.

I want to say that we talk to God because he listens, and we listen because God talks.  I say, "I want to say", but the ramifications . . .

I tend to have a deaf ear for some conversations.  Not that I don’t hear.  I just listen with no intent of acting.  Many a wife has said to their husband, "Are you listening?"  They know full well they are.  They are just not going to act on what is being asked.

I don’t think God is that way. When we pray we can expect God to change his mind, even as he expects us to change our minds and actions based on what he wants us to do.  But how can God change his mind?  I think God’s intentions are thwarted by our sinfulness.  When we repent, then God has every right to head in the original direction of intention — to provide blessing.  On the other hand — no repentance, no blessing. 

That’s a simple answer to a complex question. 

Another simple consideration — the more I consider the action of prayer, the more I return to answered prayer all around me.  This tends to highlight the statement — "God is affected by our conversations with Him." 

Two quick approaches! Many more approaches are needed to fully understand God and prayer.  In fact, I think I will never be able to fully understand God.  But, for the moment I have seen answered prayer and God’s faithfulness just keeps me trusting that He will continue to answer.

Yesterday I sat in the office and heard about a network marketing scheme.  You buy into certain services — legitimate provisions for the new technical world (don’t forget, I’ve been reading a book on homesteading in the early 1900’s — so pretty much anything qualifies for the "new technical" world).

The presentation was sincere.  In fact, based on enthusiasm, you would be sold right now!

My mother sold Amway years ago.  OK — actually she got into Amway for their soap!  Best on the market.  She got a few friends involved.  But nothing on the lines of making it rich!  This was for the product, not the greed.

And that’s what bugs me.  I worry that greed will overtake legitimate need.  And I worry that living in a world filled with greed will cause suffering.  Suffering for the sake of money. 

Not suffering for the sake of Jesus — whom I understand is said to have had nowhere to lay his head, a robe as his most valuable possession, and no million dollar income.

Whose side would I prefer to live on?  

I watch my greed quotient constantly — we all love to covet a bit!  My question?  How much is too much?  If I follow Jesus, that greed quotient is going to have to diminish measurably!

Yes, we picked Tim up at 8:00 pm yesterday.  Actually, his plane was early!  Now, that’s an unusual happening — one that we rather appreciated.  We were back home by 10:30 or so.  After a short snack and closing evening medications (two had a snack, one was finishing off her regularly scheduled pills), we headed to bed.

The next few days will be busy.  Visiting with Tim . . . practice for a musical presentation at our seniors meeting . . . an Elder’s board retreat . . . a trip to Rosetown for mother’s day . . . oh, and the regular things of life like sermons, and mowing lawns, and . . .

Expedia has confirmed.  Our son, Tim, has booked a flight.  He will arrive in Saskatoon tomorrow at 7:53.

We have been in conversation with Tim these last few days.  Until then, four months had gone by without contact.  His contract completed the end of April.  Now he’ll touch the earth of Canada. 

Until this weekend.  He flies out to Puerto Rico to take up a new contract with Royal Caribbean cruise lines.  Working as a Production Manager.

So, tomorrow night we get caught up.  On his life, and he on ours.